Following his Questions on Notice about Council’s fire obligations, raised on the Council public meeting of 2013.02.13 (questions mostly unanswered as yet), Kangaroo Island Cr Graham Walkom submitted eight motions on community fire risks.

With six other persons in the public, including MP Michael Pengilly, I was witnessing the process. Here’s my succinct report, with the text of the motions, the support comments by Cr Walkom and the result of each vote (divisions were called for).

I noted the KI fire prevention officer, Dean Brooksby, was not present when these motions were discussed. One would have expected him to assist councillors, knowing there were several motions on fire issues. Maybe the writing was on the wall before the meeting?

Gabriel Bittar

Cr Walkom’s motions:

Motion 1: That the CEO liaise with the KI Bushfire Management Committee and provide a report to Council on all aspects of the questions [as listed at Item No 8.1.3 Report Title Cr Walkom – Question on Notice Council Meeting Date 16 January 2013] and advise Council not later than the April 2013 meeting.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “Strange as it may seem to some I still see this council’s priorities as providing and ensuring the essential community services are provided for roads, power, fire and water: the latter two being both our best friends and our worst enemies.

Perhaps because we believe the KIBMC [Kangaroo Island Bushfire Management Committee] has taken responsibility for all of KI’s fire issues, we may have dropped the ball with council’s essential fire hazard housekeeping in our communities.

Clearly this council remains the only body responsible for hazard compliance in our communities and it is in the areas within communities that my questions and motions are directed.

My questions for the December 2012 meeting are all basic questions on fire preparedness and more than halfway through our fourth fire risk season since the KIBMP commenced we are either unwilling or unable to answer them.

One of the fundamental issues that appears to be frustrating ratepayers is that council’s efforts to address community fire issues is being hindered by ongoing interference by the CFS [Country Fire Service] and NVC [Native Vegetation Council] who advise council’s fire officers that notices should not /must not be issued for vacant blocks to maximise the retention of native vegetation. This “advice’ to council appears never to be “in writing”: presumably because when the shit hits the fan, both those organisations and personnel will be able to correctly declare – “Nothing to do with us, its Council’s responsibility for hazard compliance assessment and enforcement.”

The failure to objectively address the obvious risk caused by high fuel loads on vacant residential land is patently absurd as it then requires a developed adjacent property to clear fell all vegetation on their block and still not be able to achieve a satisfactory, defendable space.

Where there has been some effort over the years to clear excessive vegetation from a vacant block, it appears that current practice may be to issue section 105F notices to clear grass on a 5m perimeter fuel break. Indeed, council officers have occasionally seen fit to have some of council’s unkept reserves in “lesser towns and communities” than Kingscote and Parndana to clear some boundaries of native vegetation by means of the island’s standard 5m fuelbreak.

I would like to quote Roger Fenwick, a specialist fire forensic scientist ( http://www.bushfire-consultant.com.au/ ) who visited KI last weekend. Mr Fenwick was an expert witness at the extensive legal proceedings that followed the Canberra Bushfires that raged into Canberra just 10 years ago killing four and destroying 500 homes.”

GB: Cr Walkom then read in part the expert’s comment, the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor expressing their disagreement with him reading it in totality.

Following Cr Walkom’s presentation, the public applauded.

The Deputy Mayor, Cr Peter Clements, spoke first; he thought there was some merit in some of the motions, with some rephrasing, but he was afraid etc. He voted down the first motion, then would proceed voting down each motion, never offering some rephrasing.

Then Cr Peter Denholm went on a long and passionate rant (he would renew the rant for practically every motion). It seems to this witness that the gist of all these can be summarised thus: it’s normal to have bushfires, there’s not much that can be done on the matter, and whatever all’s fine and we have splendid people taking care of the matter. The words prevention and mitigation were not used. He voted down every motion.

Cr Joy Willson made a few comments. Her main point seemed to be that there was no need to do anything. She voted down every motion.

Cr Graeme Connell only contribution was to ask rhetorically (he knew the answer – no – and the reason) if Cr Walkom was a CFS member. He voted down every motion.

As usual, Cr Malcolm Boxall didn’t say much. He voted down all motions except the fourth.

Cr Bec Davis did not contribute much but voted in favour of motions 2 and 4, voting down the six others.

Mayor Jayne Bates voted down motion 4, which had been been voted 4 to 4 by the 8 councillors.

Cr Ken Liu consistently seconded every motion.

Motion 1 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 2: That Council receive advice at each monthly Council meeting on all fire issues involving or of expressed concern by community groups on Kangaroo Island.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “Council should be brought up to date on the current and evolving status of council responsibilities and not just in fire season but throughout the year so that communities are fire aware and fire prepared.”

Motion 2 voted down 5 to 3, with Crs Walkom, Liu and Davis voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 3: That the terms of reference of the Town Centres Committee be reviewed so that from April 2013 the committee will consider and provide advice to Council and through Council to the KI Bushfire Management Committee as appropriate any issues and concerns identified.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “To me there is more than enough evidence that the KI communities would like to have an input into their fire issues and this would be one way to provide this on an ongoing basis. It is apparent that the KI BMC is neither willing nor able to engage with the community. It appears to be only an unresourced co-ordination committee. The Town Centres Committee review may provide formal community involvement in community fire matters.”

Motion 3 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 4: That Council review the effectiveness of fire preparedness of all KI communities identified in the Kangaroo island Bush Fire Risk Management Plan as ‘high’ and ‘very high’ fire risk with a view to advocating a review of the current KIBMP in those areas.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “Bushfire Hazard Compliance – Kangaroo Island Council alone is responsible (refer Q1 answer). If communities are not fire aware, ready and responsive then council’s moral and legal responsibilities simply cannot be met. The LGA Procedure “Fire Hazard reduction and Notice Procedure” sep 2011 states its purpose “is to ensure the consistent and accurate application of relevant legislation and Council Policy when identifying, assessing and enforcing actions related to fire hazard.” Sorry folks but that is NOT happening. Council appears not to have a Fire Hazard Reduction Policy.”

Motion 4 voted down, 4 to 4, with Crs Walkom, Liu, Davis and Boxall voting in favour, Crs Clements, Connell, Denholm and Willson against, the Mayor casting a nay vote.

Motion 5: That council consider providing adequate funding in the 2013/14 business plan and budget to resource independent expert advice/reports on identifying and optimising fire risk mitigation in consultation with other organisations as appropriate for KI communities identified in the Kangaroo Island Bush Fire Risk Management Plan as ‘high’ and ‘very high’ fire risk.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “I am convinced that a community based pro-active approach to fire safety will work far better than the current system. We currently have the situation where the issue of selective section 105f notices creates much resentment between the ones “who got one” and those who didn’t. The sudden impost of a requirement to rectify where none was previously issued in previous years can create unexpected hardship where the costs run to rate notice sums. Importantly, allowing fuel to accumulate on several adjacent blocks over many years creates an excessively difficult situation in that the first few developments in that area must have extraordinarily high standards of fire protection on their dwelling plus the total clearance of vegetation and still not be able to create a defendable dwelling. Later when most lots are developed there is no need for those high standards. Additionally the total clearance of a single site is unnecessary if all properties systematically reduced the fuel load but kept the character of the original environment.”

Motion 5 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 6: That council consider providing adequate funding in the 2013/14 business plan and budget to fully investigate the provision of fire water tanks and hydrants within communities that have no reticulated water supply or fire hydrants for KI communities identified in the Kangaroo Island Bush Fire Risk Management Plan as ‘high’ and ‘very high’ fire risk.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “Many communities on KI do not have emergency fire services such as hydrants. Neither do they have emergency fire tenders immediately available. The provision of fire water tanks on otherwise unused community reserves should be fully investigated. In the case of American River with the CWMS wastewater available, this water might also be used to enhance street landscaping. House fires take hold very quickly and town hydrants could provide ready access to fire water in both bushfire and for local fire events.”

Motion 6 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 7: That council give a priority weighting to fire risk factors when prioritising road augmentation works in all budgets.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “Obviously emergency vehicle access in all weather conditions is an essential requirement of communities large and small. This does not appear to be so in some communities and a review to ensure alternative emergency entry and egress routes should be a high council priority.”

Motion 7 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

Motion 8: That in consultation with each community and other agencies as appropriate, council consider providing adequate funding in the 2013/14 business plan and budget to develop specific community guidelines for fire preparation standards as appropriate where that community is identified in the Kangaroo island Bush Fire Risk Management Plan as at ‘high’ or ‘very high’ fire risk.

Cr Walkom’s presentation: “A specific community fire plan would:

• detail emergency provisions peculiar to that location
• detail the main fire hazards external and internal
• detail approved and preferred fire hazard clearances across the whole community.
• explain the logic and objectives of the plan.
• List community and council employees to contact for information.

It would provide a visionary goal for a much tidier firesafe community with a reduced whole community fire risk rating, thereby reducing building construction and maintenance costs within that community.”

Motion 8 voted down 6 to 2, with Crs Walkom and Liu voting in favour, Crs Boxall, Clements, Connell, Davis, Denholm and Willson against.

At the end of this session, during which eight bushfire safety motions, aiming for more community input, improved communication, a more responsible Council and improved fire safety, were all voted down, Mayor Jayne Bates held the Kangaroo Island Bushfire Management Plan (KIBMP 2009-2014) to view, extolling its planning and prevention virtues and claiming it had taken on board the views of the community. Though keeping it quiet as required by the public meeting rules, no one in the public appeared to agree, as their views were obviously not taken on board and, after more than three years, no community has seen its bushfire risk lowered.

END of GB’s report

PS:

Immediately after this session, Mayor Jayne Bates called a 10 minute recess. Following it, a motion without notice was moved by Crs Denholm and Clements:
“That Council confirms in writing its commitment to the Kangaroo Island Bushfire Management Committee and the implementation of the plan, acknowledging that this management plan has been developed as a partnership between the Kangaroo Island Community, Land Management Agencies and the Country Fire Service, for the benefit of the Kangaroo Island Community.”
Crs Davis, Clements, Boxall, Denholm, Willson and Connell voted in favour, Crs Walkom and Liu against.

This resolution confirmed, if need be, that the KIBMP and KIBMC form the core problem of the bushfire problems on Kangaroo Island. For memory, the KIBMC’s meetings are closed shop, not even open to councillors…

Comment by G. Bittar: Time for a ministerial inquiry